Your appliances work hard for you and your family, but your washer and dryer might take the greatest beating over time. Gallons of water, all that spinning, not to mention the variety of soaps and rinses take their toll on the equipment after a few years. Return the love with a few simple tips for maintaining your washing machine, and you’ll find your calls to the appliance repair man few and far between.
Level Your Washer for Optimum Performance
A level washer is a happy washer. Leveling your washing machine will eliminate the “walking” 
that non-level machines tend to do during the spin cycle, especially if the load becomes unbalanced. This is particularly hard on the washer and may cause water hoses to disconnect, resulting in a huge, wet mess. Use a level and adjust the washer’s feet by loosening or tightening the screws on each of the four corners of the bottom. Don’t forget to check the level from front to back as well.
Washer Hose Inspection and Replacement
Much like your car, your washing machine hoses can fail over time. Look for cracks, hardening, or other wear in both the inlet hoses and those that carry the used water away to the sewer. Check the connections for tightness and leaks. Depending on where you live and where in the home your washer is located, you should replace all hoses and connectors every 2 to 5 years. Extremes in temperatures can degrade hoses and connectors more quickly, so make it closer to every 2 years if your machine lives outside
Cleaning Your Washing Machine
Your washer requires periodic cleaning, particularly the machine’s soap/softener dispensers and any filters inside the tub. Hot water is the best method for cleaning the dispensers. Add a bit of white vinegar if the machine is especially dirty or if you live in a humid part of the country. Run an extended wash cycle on hot (sans clothes of course) with 2 cups of white vinegar added to the tub after it fills with water (for top load models). Be sure to run one additional cycle using just water, to ensure that the vinegar is fully rinsed away.
Stackable Washer/Dryer Maintenance
Stackable washer and dryer maintenance is possibly even more important, based on the level of difficulty required to repair stacked washer units. These units are typically located in a small closet or other tight space, and mechanical controls are often harder to access. Give these little workhorses the love and attention they deserve.
Following these simple tips will help keep your washer working like new. Your local appliance repair service can also provide you with washer maintenance tips suited specifically to your machine, and can handle your periodic maintenance needs quickly, easily, and with minimal expense.